PROTECTING-YOURSELF-AND-OTHERS-IN-THE-WORKSHOP
PROTECTING-YOURSELF-AND-OTHERS-IN-THE-WORKSHOP
PROTECTING-YOURSELF-AND-OTHERS-IN-THE-WORKSHOP
TOPIC 1:
“PROTECTING YOURSELF AND
OTHERS IN THE WORKSHOP’’
Learning objectives:
Identify the various safety rules for personal safety inside the
automotive shop.
Identify safety protocols in lifting and supporting vehicle and working
with hazardous materials, and
Appreciate the importance of safety inside the automotive shop.
“AUTOMOTIVE SHOPS SAFETY”
TOPIC 1:
PROTECTING YOURSELF AND OTHERS IN THE WORKSHOP
NOTE: The law requires that protective eyewear be available and worn in career and
technical education courses where there is a reasonable probability of injury.
III. General Shop Safety Rules
7. Do not wear rings, bracelets, watches, or necklaces when working around moving machinery or
electrical equipment.
a. Jewelry can catch in moving machinery with serious consequences.
• A necklace can become entangled in running machinery, which could pull the technician into the
machinery and cause great bodily harm.
• If a ring or bracelet becomes entangled or caught, it could result in a severed finger or serious
injury to the head or neck.
b. If a ring or bracelet should accidentally create a short circuit of a vehicle battery, the metal of the
ring or bracelet could become white-hot in an instant, causing a serious burn.
8. Do not put sharp objects into the pockets of work clothes. They could cause personal injury or
damage to a vehicle’s interior.
9. Keep hands free from oil and grease.
10. Wipe up grease and other spills from the shop floor immediately, or at least put an oil-absorbing
compound over them.
III. General Shop Safety Rules
11. When cleaning up flammable liquids, always dispose of the rags in a metal container with a
tight-fitting lid.
12. Do not look in the direction of another person who is welding.
13. Do not run a vehicle engine inside a closed garage unless the vehicle exhaust is hooked up
to exhaust ventilation equipment. A deadly amount of carbon monoxide, which is present in
the exhaust, can collect in a very short time.
14. Do not smoke in the shop, except in an area designated for smoking.
15. When pumping a flammable liquid from a large container into a small one, be sure to first
attach a ground wire between both containers.
16. Always be alert for hazardous situations in the shop. Promptly correct them, if possible,
and inform the instructor of the situation.
17. If road testing a vehicle, always use seat belts, even if only going a short distance.
18. Disconnect the battery as appropriate. This eliminates hazards from shorts that could occur
during repair procedures.
CAUTION: The vehicle manufacturer’s recommendations must be followed for disconnecting batteries. Some
onboard vehicle computer systems can be damaged if the battery is incorrectly disconnected.
III. General Shop Safety Rules
19. When parts are removed from a vehicle, they should be stored away from the
work area (on a bench or, if large parts, against a wall).
20. Asbestos particles can cause cancer. Asbestos is found in brake shoes and
clutches. Therefore, wear a particle mask when doing any cleaning work on brake
or clutch parts. Do not use compressed air to clean brake or clutch parts.
21. Do not let the leads on testing equipment fall into the fan of a vehicle while the
engine is running. Electric fan motors can turn on even with the ignition off.
22. Do not play with fire extinguishers. Use fire extinguishers only to extinguish
fires.
23. Always read the labels on chemicals and materials and follow the instructions.
IV. General Safety Rules for Handling Tools and Equipment
A. Do not operate any piece of equipment unless trained in the use of the
equipment.
B. Even if instructed in the use of a piece of equipment, do not use it unless given
specific permission by the instructor.
C. Select the tool or piece of equipment that will handle the job in the safest and
most efficient manner. Use tools or equipment only as recommended by the
manufacturer.
D. Before using a tool or piece of equipment, inspect it for defects, missing or
improperly adjusted safety guards, and any other missing or malfunctioning parts.
E. Maintain and store tools and equipment properly. Develop a regular maintenance
schedule for shop equipment. Discard, repair, or replace worn tools because worn
tools can be a safety hazard and adversely affect work quality.
IV. General Safety Rules for Handling Tools and Equipment
F. Do not use compressed air to blow dirt from clothes and do not point a
compressed-air hose at another person.
IV. General Safety Rules for Handling Tools and
Equipment
G. When using compressed air for cleaning objects in the shop, the air
pressure must not be more than 30 pounds per square inch (psi).
H. Keep tools, especially tool handles, free from oil and grease.
I. Before using a tool, check the handle to make sure it is secure. For
example, a hammer with a loose handle is unsafe because the head may fly
off during use.
J. When operating electric tools, use the proper precautions to avoid electric
shock.
K. Before inspecting or making adjustments to pneumatic or electric tools,
always disconnect them from the air or power supply.
V. Electric Welding Safety
Electric Holder
V. Electric Welding Safety
2. Make sure all others in the welding area are wearing eye protection as well.
3. When using a welder, enclose the welding area to protect others from the
dangers of arc rays.
V. Electric Welding Safety
Filter-type Mask
Air-supplied Respirator
VI. Oxy-acetylene Welding and Cutting Safety
Oxy-acetylene Welding
VI. Oxy-acetylene Welding and Cutting Safety
A. Protection from burns (from heat or light rays), fire, and explosions
1. Do not allow oil or grease to come in contact with oxygen under
pressure
Note: No lubrication of the apparatus is necessary.
2. Do not use oxygen as a substitute for compressed air.
3. Before starting to weld or cut, make certain there is no flammable
material nearby.
4. Always wear welding goggles and heavy gloves when working with a
lighted torch.
5. Wear welding goggles and protective clothing that blocks harmful light
from the acetylene flame.
6. When using a welder, enclose the welding area to protect others from
the dangers of acetylene flames.
VI. Oxy-acetylene Welding and Cutting Safety
3. Clean the metal before welding or cutting. Cleaning the metal helps
remove any chemical that might mix with the fumes produced by the
process.
4. Some of the materials that give off especially toxic fumes are brass,
bronze, galvanized materials, iron or steel coated with lead, or paint
containing lead.
VI. Oxy-acetylene Welding and Cutting Safety
1. Spread the feet slightly, until comfortable, with one foot slightly
ahead of the other and along side of the object.
2. Bend the knees, kneel, or squat; do not bend the back.
3. Use blocking under objects to get a hand hold.
VII. Lifting Safety
F. Protective clothing for the body and hands reduces the hazard of injury
and protects street clothing.
A. Long hair can become caught in moving machinery, which can result. In a portion
of scalp being lost or pulled into the machinery. Keep long hair out of machinery by
pinning it up or wearing a cap.
B. Jewelry should not be worn in the shop.
C. Having greasy hands can cause slippage when working with hand tools. Grease
also soils interiors and paint.
D. Having grease on work shoes can spread grease across the shop floor, which
increases the risk of slipping and falling. Dirty, greasy coveralls/overalls and shoes
can ruin vehicle interiors.
E. Having brake fluid and other chemicals on the hands could allow accidental
transfer to painted surfaces and cause expensive repairs.
F. Protective eyewear that is dirty and scratched is difficult to see through. Protective
eyewear should be kept clean. Do not place the lenses down on the floor or table. The
soft, plastic coating can easily be scratched.
X. Hazardous Materials Safety
5. Air bags must be used with seat belts, shoulder harnesses, and the proper
headrests to provide maximum protection.
Note: It is important for everyone in the automotive industry, including automotive technicians, to
explain to the public that the SRS alone does not provide maximum protection in a collision.
6. Before working near a vehicle’s air bags, be sure they are disabled.
Caution: The force of an air bag can break bones and cause other serious injuries.
7. Even if an air bag has been disabled, the air bag may deploy if the diagnostic
module’s reserve power has not been depleted.
Caution: The diagnostic module keeps the air bag activated for some time after the negative
battery cable has been disconnected. Wait until the diagnostic module’s reserve power
has depleted before working on or around the SRS. The time can vary from a few
seconds to over 30 minutes.
XI. Safety Precautions for Supplemental Restraint Systems
(SRSs) and Antilock Brake Systems (ABSs)
3. Listed below are general precautions to observe when servicing the ABS.
c. Many components of an ABS are not serviceable; replace them as an assembly.
Disassembling an ABS component that is not designed to be serviced may cause
personal injury or system malfunction.
d. There is no one bleeding procedure that applies to all ABSs. Procedures vary greatly
from system to system. To bleed a vehicle with an ABS, use the manufacturer’s specific
bleeding method for the vehicle being serviced.
e. If using electric arc welding equipment on a vehicle with an ABS, disconnect the
battery and powertrain control module (PCM).
f. An ABS operates at very high pressures. Always depressurize the accumulator before
servicing the ABS.
g. To protect the control module, never disconnect or connect any ABS connector while
the ignition switch is on.
XI. Safety Precautions for Supplemental Restraint Systems
(SRSs) and Antilock Brake Systems (ABSs)
3. Listed below are general precautions to observe when servicing the ABS.
h. Portions of an ABS operate at very low system voltages; therefore, never use a
conventional 12-volt test light to probe circuits. A conventional 12-volt test light
can damage the antilock components. Always use a high- impedance digital
multimeter (DMM) to probe the circuits.
i. When working with wiring on an ABS, never touch the electrical connections or
pins or allow them to contact the brake fluid. This kind of contact damages the
PCM.
j. Before test driving a vehicle with a brake problem, test the brakes at a low speed
to be sure that the car stops normally.
XI. Safety Precautions for Supplemental Restraint Systems
(SRSs) and Antilock Brake Systems (ABSs)